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Houston BJ, Merriner DJ, Stathatos GG, Nguyen JH, O'Connor AE, Lopes AM, Conrad DF, Baker M, Dunleavy JE, O'Bryan MK. Genetic mutation of Cep76 results in male infertility due to abnormal sperm tail composition. Life Sci Alliance 2024; 7:e202302452. [PMID: 38570187 PMCID: PMC10992998 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The transition zone is a specialised gate at the base of cilia/flagella, which separates the ciliary compartment from the cytoplasm and strictly regulates protein entry. We identified a potential new regulator of the male germ cell transition zone, CEP76. We demonstrated that CEP76 was involved in the selective entry and incorporation of key proteins required for sperm function and fertility into the ciliary compartment and ultimately the sperm tail. In the mutant, sperm tails were shorter and immotile as a consequence of deficits in essential sperm motility proteins including DNAH2 and AKAP4, which accumulated at the sperm neck in the mutant. Severe annulus, fibrous sheath, and outer dense fibre abnormalities were also detected in sperm lacking CEP76. Finally, we identified that CEP76 dictates annulus positioning and structure. This study suggests CEP76 as a male germ cell transition zone protein and adds further evidence to the hypothesis that the spermatid transition zone and annulus are part of the same functional structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan J Houston
- https://ror.org/01ej9dk98 School of BioSciences and Bio21 Molecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - D Jo Merriner
- https://ror.org/01ej9dk98 School of BioSciences and Bio21 Molecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - G Gemma Stathatos
- https://ror.org/01ej9dk98 School of BioSciences and Bio21 Molecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Joseph H Nguyen
- https://ror.org/01ej9dk98 School of BioSciences and Bio21 Molecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Anne E O'Connor
- https://ror.org/01ej9dk98 School of BioSciences and Bio21 Molecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Alexandra M Lopes
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Institute of Molecular Pathology & Immunology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Donald F Conrad
- Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - Mark Baker
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
| | - Jessica Em Dunleavy
- https://ror.org/01ej9dk98 School of BioSciences and Bio21 Molecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Moira K O'Bryan
- https://ror.org/01ej9dk98 School of BioSciences and Bio21 Molecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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2
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Lillepea K, Juchnewitsch AG, Kasak L, Valkna A, Dutta A, Pomm K, Poolamets O, Nagirnaja L, Tamp E, Mahyari E, Vihljajev V, Tjagur S, Papadimitriou S, Riera-Escamilla A, Versbraegen N, Farnetani G, Castillo-Madeen H, Sütt M, Kübarsepp V, Tennisberg S, Korrovits P, Krausz C, Aston KI, Lenaerts T, Conrad DF, Punab M, Laan M. Toward clinical exomes in diagnostics and management of male infertility. Am J Hum Genet 2024; 111:877-895. [PMID: 38614076 PMCID: PMC11080280 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Infertility, affecting ∼10% of men, is predominantly caused by primary spermatogenic failure (SPGF). We screened likely pathogenic and pathogenic (LP/P) variants in 638 candidate genes for male infertility in 521 individuals presenting idiopathic SPGF and 323 normozoospermic men in the ESTAND cohort. Molecular diagnosis was reached for 64 men with SPGF (12%), with findings in 39 genes (6%). The yield did not differ significantly between the subgroups with azoospermia (20/185, 11%), oligozoospermia (18/181, 10%), and primary cryptorchidism with SPGF (26/155, 17%). Notably, 19 of 64 LP/P variants (30%) identified in 28 subjects represented recurrent findings in this study and/or with other male infertility cohorts. NR5A1 was the most frequently affected gene, with seven LP/P variants in six SPGF-affected men and two normozoospermic men. The link to SPGF was validated for recently proposed candidate genes ACTRT1, ASZ1, GLUD2, GREB1L, LEO1, RBM5, ROS1, and TGIF2LY. Heterozygous truncating variants in BNC1, reported in female infertility, emerged as plausible causes of severe oligozoospermia. Data suggested that several infertile men may present congenital conditions with less pronounced or pleiotropic phenotypes affecting the development and function of the reproductive system. Genes regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis were affected in >30% of subjects with LP/P variants. Six individuals had more than one LP/P variant, including five with two findings from the gene panel. A 4-fold increased prevalence of cancer was observed in men with genetic infertility compared to the general male population (8% vs. 2%; p = 4.4 × 10-3). Expanding genetic testing in andrology will contribute to the multidisciplinary management of SPGF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristiina Lillepea
- Chair of Human Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Anna-Grete Juchnewitsch
- Chair of Human Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Laura Kasak
- Chair of Human Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Anu Valkna
- Chair of Human Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Avirup Dutta
- Chair of Human Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kristjan Pomm
- Andrology Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Olev Poolamets
- Andrology Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Liina Nagirnaja
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA
| | - Erik Tamp
- Center of Pathology, Diagnostic Clinic, East Tallinn Central Hospital, 10138 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Eisa Mahyari
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA
| | | | - Stanislav Tjagur
- Andrology Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Sofia Papadimitriou
- Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, Université Libre de Bruxelles-Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Machine Learning Group, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Antoni Riera-Escamilla
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA; Andrology Department, Fundació Puigvert, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Sant Pau, 08025 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Nassim Versbraegen
- Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, Université Libre de Bruxelles-Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Machine Learning Group, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ginevra Farnetani
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy
| | - Helen Castillo-Madeen
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA
| | - Mailis Sütt
- Andrology Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Viljo Kübarsepp
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, 50406 Tartu, Estonia; Department of Pediatric Surgery, Clinic of Surgery, Tartu University Hospital, 51014 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Sven Tennisberg
- Andrology Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Paul Korrovits
- Andrology Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Csilla Krausz
- Andrology Department, Fundació Puigvert, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Sant Pau, 08025 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy
| | - Kenneth I Aston
- Andrology and IVF Laboratory, Department of Surgery (Urology), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Tom Lenaerts
- Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, Université Libre de Bruxelles-Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Machine Learning Group, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Donald F Conrad
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA; Center for Embryonic Cell & Gene Therapy, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR 97239, USA
| | - Margus Punab
- Chair of Human Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; Andrology Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, 50406 Tartu, Estonia; Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, 50406 Tartu, Estonia.
| | - Maris Laan
- Chair of Human Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia.
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3
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Fontana L, Sirchia SM, Pesenti C, Colpi GM, Miozzo MR. Non-invasive biomarkers for sperm retrieval in non-obstructive patients: a comprehensive review. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1349000. [PMID: 38689732 PMCID: PMC11058837 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1349000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent advancements in reproductive medicine have guided novel strategies for addressing male infertility, particularly in cases of non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). Two prominent invasive interventions, namely testicular sperm extraction (TESE) and microdissection TESE (micro-TESE), have emerged as key techniques to retrieve gametes for assisted reproduction technologies (ART). Both heterogeneity and complexity of NOA pose a multifaceted challenge to clinicians, as the invasiveness of these procedures and their unpredictable success underscore the need for more precise guidance. Seminal plasma can be aptly regarded as a liquid biopsy of the male reproductive tract, encompassing secretions from the testes, epididymides, seminal vesicles, bulbourethral glands, and prostate. This fluid harbors a variety of cell-free nucleic acids, microvesicles, proteins, and metabolites intricately linked to gonadal activity. However, despite numerous investigations exploring potential biomarkers from seminal fluid, their widespread inclusion into the clinical practice remains limited. This could be partially due to the complex interplay of diverse clinical and genetic factors inherent to NOA that likely contributes to the absence of definitive biomarkers for residual spermatogenesis. It is conceivable that the integration of clinical data with biomarkers could increase the potential in predicting surgical procedure outcomes and their choice in NOA cases. This comprehensive review addresses the challenge of sperm retrieval in NOA through non-invasive biomarkers. Moreover, we delve into promising perspectives, elucidating innovative approaches grounded in multi-omics methodologies, including genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics. These cutting-edge techniques, combined with the clinical and genetics features of patients, could improve the use of biomarkers in personalized medical approaches, patient counseling, and the decision-making continuum. Finally, Artificial intelligence (AI) holds significant potential in the realm of combining biomarkers and clinical data, also in the context of identifying non-invasive biomarkers for sperm retrieval.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Fontana
- Medical Genetics Unit, Aziende Socio Sanitarie Territoriali (ASST) Santi Paolo e Carlo, Milan, Italy
- Medical Genetics, Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia M. Sirchia
- Medical Genetics, Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Pesenti
- Medical Genetics Unit, Aziende Socio Sanitarie Territoriali (ASST) Santi Paolo e Carlo, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Maria Colpi
- Next Fertility Procrea, International Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Monica R. Miozzo
- Medical Genetics Unit, Aziende Socio Sanitarie Territoriali (ASST) Santi Paolo e Carlo, Milan, Italy
- Medical Genetics, Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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4
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Ansari M, Faour KNW, Shimamura A, Grimes G, Kao EM, Denhoff ER, Blatnik A, Ben-Isvy D, Wang L, Helm BM, Firth H, Breman AM, Bijlsma EK, Iwata-Otsubo A, de Ravel TJL, Fusaro V, Fryer A, Nykamp K, Stühn LG, Haack TB, Korenke GC, Constantinou P, Bujakowska KM, Low KJ, Place E, Humberson J, Napier MP, Hoffman J, Juusola J, Deardorff MA, Shao W, Rockowitz S, Krantz I, Kaur M, Raible S, Dortenzio V, Kliesch S, Singer-Berk M, Groopman E, DiTroia S, Ballal S, Srivastava S, Rothfelder K, Biskup S, Rzasa J, Kerkhof J, McConkey H, Sadikovic B, Hilton S, Banka S, Tüttelmann F, Conrad DF, O'Donnell-Luria A, Talkowski ME, FitzPatrick DR, Boone PM. Heterozygous loss-of-function SMC3 variants are associated with variable growth and developmental features. HGG ADVANCES 2024; 5:100273. [PMID: 38297832 PMCID: PMC10876629 DOI: 10.1016/j.xhgg.2024.100273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Heterozygous missense variants and in-frame indels in SMC3 are a cause of Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS), marked by intellectual disability, growth deficiency, and dysmorphism, via an apparent dominant-negative mechanism. However, the spectrum of manifestations associated with SMC3 loss-of-function variants has not been reported, leading to hypotheses of alternative phenotypes or even developmental lethality. We used matchmaking servers, patient registries, and other resources to identify individuals with heterozygous, predicted loss-of-function (pLoF) variants in SMC3, and analyzed population databases to characterize mutational intolerance in this gene. Here, we show that SMC3 behaves as an archetypal haploinsufficient gene: it is highly constrained against pLoF variants, strongly depleted for missense variants, and pLoF variants are associated with a range of developmental phenotypes. Among 14 individuals with SMC3 pLoF variants, phenotypes were variable but coalesced on low growth parameters, developmental delay/intellectual disability, and dysmorphism, reminiscent of atypical CdLS. Comparisons to individuals with SMC3 missense/in-frame indel variants demonstrated an overall milder presentation in pLoF carriers. Furthermore, several individuals harboring pLoF variants in SMC3 were nonpenetrant for growth, developmental, and/or dysmorphic features, and some had alternative symptomatologies with rational biological links to SMC3. Analyses of tumor and model system transcriptomic data and epigenetic data in a subset of cases suggest that SMC3 pLoF variants reduce SMC3 expression but do not strongly support clustering with functional genomic signatures of typical CdLS. Our finding of substantial population-scale LoF intolerance in concert with variable growth and developmental features in subjects with SMC3 pLoF variants expands the scope of cohesinopathies, informs on their allelic architecture, and suggests the existence of additional clearly LoF-constrained genes whose disease links will be confirmed only by multilayered genomic data paired with careful phenotyping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morad Ansari
- South East Scotland Genetic Service, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK; MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Kamli N W Faour
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Cornelia de Lange Syndrome and Related Disorders Clinic, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Akiko Shimamura
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Graeme Grimes
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Emeline M Kao
- Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Erica R Denhoff
- Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ana Blatnik
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Department of Clinical Cancer Genetics, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Daniel Ben-Isvy
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lily Wang
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin M Helm
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Helen Firth
- Clinical Genetics, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, UK
| | - Amy M Breman
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Emilia K Bijlsma
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Aiko Iwata-Otsubo
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Thomy J L de Ravel
- Centre for Human Genetics, UZ Leuven/Leuven University Hospitals, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Alan Fryer
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Alder Hey Children's Hospital Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Lara G Stühn
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Tobias B Haack
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - G Christoph Korenke
- Department of Neuropaediatric and Metabolic Diseases, University Children's Hospital Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Panayiotis Constantinou
- West of Scotland Centre for Genomic Medicine, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Karen J Low
- University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK; University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Emily Place
- Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Matthew A Deardorff
- Departments of Pathology and Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Los Angeles and University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Wanqing Shao
- Research Computing, Information Technology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shira Rockowitz
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Research Computing, Information Technology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; The Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ian Krantz
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Maninder Kaur
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sarah Raible
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Sabine Kliesch
- Department of Clinical and Surgical Andrology, Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Moriel Singer-Berk
- Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Emily Groopman
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Stephanie DiTroia
- Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sonia Ballal
- Cornelia de Lange Syndrome and Related Disorders Clinic, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Gastroenterology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Siddharth Srivastava
- Cornelia de Lange Syndrome and Related Disorders Clinic, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Divison of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Saskia Biskup
- Zentrum für Humangenetik, Tübingen, Germany; Center for Genomics and Transcriptomics (CeGaT), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jessica Rzasa
- Molecular Diagnostics Program and Verspeeten Clinical Genome Centre, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer Kerkhof
- Molecular Diagnostics Program and Verspeeten Clinical Genome Centre, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada
| | - Haley McConkey
- Molecular Diagnostics Program and Verspeeten Clinical Genome Centre, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada
| | - Bekim Sadikovic
- Molecular Diagnostics Program and Verspeeten Clinical Genome Centre, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada
| | - Sarah Hilton
- Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Health Innovation Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Siddharth Banka
- Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Health Innovation Manchester, Manchester, UK; Division of Evolution, Infection, and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Frank Tüttelmann
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Donald F Conrad
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA; Center for Embryonic Cell and Gene Therapy, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Anne O'Donnell-Luria
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Michael E Talkowski
- Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David R FitzPatrick
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Philip M Boone
- Cornelia de Lange Syndrome and Related Disorders Clinic, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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5
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Juchnewitsch AG, Pomm K, Dutta A, Tamp E, Valkna A, Lillepea K, Mahyari E, Tjagur S, Belova G, Kübarsepp V, Castillo-Madeen H, Riera-Escamilla A, Põlluaas L, Nagirnaja L, Poolamets O, Vihljajev V, Sütt M, Versbraegen N, Papadimitriou S, McLachlan RI, Jarvi KA, Schlegel PN, Tennisberg S, Korrovits P, Vigh-Conrad K, O’Bryan MK, Aston KI, Lenaerts T, Conrad DF, Kasak L, Punab M, Laan M. Undiagnosed RASopathies in infertile men. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1312357. [PMID: 38654924 PMCID: PMC11035881 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1312357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
RASopathies are syndromes caused by congenital defects in the Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway genes, with a population prevalence of 1 in 1,000. Patients are typically identified in childhood based on diverse characteristic features, including cryptorchidism (CR) in >50% of affected men. As CR predisposes to spermatogenic failure (SPGF; total sperm count per ejaculate 0-39 million), we hypothesized that men seeking infertility management include cases with undiagnosed RASopathies. Likely pathogenic or pathogenic (LP/P) variants in 22 RASopathy-linked genes were screened in 521 idiopathic SPGF patients (including 155 CR cases) and 323 normozoospermic controls using exome sequencing. All 844 men were recruited to the ESTonian ANDrology (ESTAND) cohort and underwent identical andrological phenotyping. RASopathy-specific variant interpretation guidelines were used for pathogenicity assessment. LP/P variants were identified in PTPN11 (two), SOS1 (three), SOS2 (one), LZTR1 (one), SPRED1 (one), NF1 (one), and MAP2K1 (one). The findings affected six of 155 cases with CR and SPGF, three of 366 men with SPGF only, and one (of 323) normozoospermic subfertile man. The subgroup "CR and SPGF" had over 13-fold enrichment of findings compared to controls (3.9% vs. 0.3%; Fisher's exact test, p = 5.5 × 10-3). All ESTAND subjects with LP/P variants in the Ras/MAPK pathway genes presented congenital genitourinary anomalies, skeletal and joint conditions, and other RASopathy-linked health concerns. Rare forms of malignancies (schwannomatosis and pancreatic and testicular cancer) were reported on four occasions. The Genetics of Male Infertility Initiative (GEMINI) cohort (1,416 SPGF cases and 317 fertile men) was used to validate the outcome. LP/P variants in PTPN11 (three), LZTR1 (three), and MRAS (one) were identified in six SPGF cases (including 4/31 GEMINI cases with CR) and one normozoospermic man. Undiagnosed RASopathies were detected in total for 17 ESTAND and GEMINI subjects, 15 SPGF patients (10 with CR), and two fertile men. Affected RASopathy genes showed high expression in spermatogenic and testicular somatic cells. In conclusion, congenital defects in the Ras/MAPK pathway genes represent a new congenital etiology of syndromic male infertility. Undiagnosed RASopathies were especially enriched among patients with a history of cryptorchidism. Given the relationship between RASopathies and other conditions, infertile men found to have this molecular diagnosis should be evaluated for known RASopathy-linked health concerns, including specific rare malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Grete Juchnewitsch
- Chair of Human Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kristjan Pomm
- Andrology Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Avirup Dutta
- Chair of Human Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Erik Tamp
- Centre of Pathology, East Tallinn Central Hospital, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Anu Valkna
- Chair of Human Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kristiina Lillepea
- Chair of Human Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Eisa Mahyari
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | | | - Galina Belova
- Chair of Human Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Viljo Kübarsepp
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Clinic of Surgery, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Helen Castillo-Madeen
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Antoni Riera-Escamilla
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Lisanna Põlluaas
- Chair of Human Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Liina Nagirnaja
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Olev Poolamets
- Andrology Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
| | | | - Mailis Sütt
- Andrology Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Nassim Versbraegen
- Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, Université Libre de Bruxelles-Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Machine Learning Group, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sofia Papadimitriou
- Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, Université Libre de Bruxelles-Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Machine Learning Group, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Robert I. McLachlan
- Hudson Institute of Medical Research and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Keith A. Jarvi
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Peter N. Schlegel
- Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Paul Korrovits
- Andrology Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Katinka Vigh-Conrad
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Moira K. O’Bryan
- School of BioSciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Kenneth I. Aston
- Andrology and IVF Laboratory, Department of Surgery (Urology), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Tom Lenaerts
- Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, Université Libre de Bruxelles-Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Machine Learning Group, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Donald F. Conrad
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, United States
- Center for Embryonic Cell and Gene Therapy, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Laura Kasak
- Chair of Human Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Margus Punab
- Chair of Human Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- Andrology Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Maris Laan
- Chair of Human Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
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6
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Mahyari E, Vigh-Conrad KA, Daube C, Lima AC, Guo J, Carrell DT, Hotaling JM, Aston KI, Conrad DF. The human infertility single-cell testis atlas (HISTA): an interactive molecular scRNA-Seq reference of the human testis. Andrology 2024. [PMID: 38577799 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-Seq) has been widely adopted to study gene expression of the human testis. Several datasets of scRNA-Seq from human testis have been generated from different groups processed with different informatics pipelines. An integrated atlas of scRNA-Seq expression constructed from multiple donors, developmental ages, and fertility states would be widely useful for the testis research community. OBJECTIVE To describe the generation and use of the human infertility single-cell testis atlas (HISTA), an interactive web tool for understanding human spermatogenesis through scRNA-Seq analysis. METHODS We obtained scRNA-Seq datasets derived from 12 donors, including healthy adult controls, juveniles, and several infertility cases, and reprocessed these data using methods to remove batch effects. Using Shiny, an open-source environment for data visualization, we created numerous interactive tools for exploring the data, some of which support simple statistical hypothesis testing. We used the resulting HISTA browser and its underlying data to demonstrate HISTA's value for testis researchers. RESULTS A primary application of HISTA is to search by a single gene or a set of genes; thus, we present various analyses that quantify and visualize gene expression across the testis cells and pathology. HISTA also contains machine-learning-derived gene modules ("components") that capture the entire transcriptional landscape of the testis tissue. We show how the use of these components can simplify the highly complex data in HISTA and assist with the interpretation of genes with unknown functions. Finally, we demonstrate the diverse ways HISTA can be used for new data analysis, including hypothesis testing. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS HISTA is a research environment that can help scientists organize and understand the high-dimensional transcriptional landscape of the human testis. HISTA has already contributed to published testis research and can be updated as needed with input from the research community or downloaded and modified for individual needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eisa Mahyari
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Katinka A Vigh-Conrad
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Clément Daube
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Ana C Lima
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Jingtao Guo
- Andrology and IVF Laboratory, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Douglas T Carrell
- Andrology and IVF Laboratory, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - James M Hotaling
- Andrology and IVF Laboratory, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Kenneth I Aston
- Andrology and IVF Laboratory, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Donald F Conrad
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
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7
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Al Dala Ali M, Longepied G, Nicolet A, Metzler-Guillemain C, Mitchell MJ. Spermatozoa in mice lacking the nucleoporin NUP210L show defects in head shape and motility but not in nuclear compaction or histone replacement. Clin Genet 2024; 105:364-375. [PMID: 38129135 DOI: 10.1111/cge.14468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Biallelic loss-of-function mutation of NUP210L, encoding a testis-specific nucleoporin, has been reported in an infertile man whose spermatozoa show uncondensed heads and histone retention. Mice with a homozygous transgene intronic insertion in Nup210l were infertile but spermatozoa had condensed heads. Expression from this insertion allele is undefined, however, and residual NUP210L production could underlie the milder phenotype. To resolve this issue, we have created Nup210lem1Mjmm , a null allele of Nup210l, in the mouse. Nup210lem1Mjmm homozygotes show uniform mild anomalies of sperm head morphology and decreased motility, but nuclear compaction and histone removal appear unaffected. Thus, our mouse model does not support that NUP210L loss alone blocks spermatid nuclear compaction. Re-analyzing the patient's exome data, we identified a rare, potentially pathogenic, heterozygous variant in nucleoporin gene NUP153 (p.Pro485Leu), and showed that, in mouse and human, NUP210L and NUP153 colocalize at the caudal nuclear pole in elongating spermatids and spermatozoa. Unexpectedly, in round spermatids, NUP210L and NUP153 localisation differs between mouse (nucleoplasm) and human (nuclear periphery). Our data suggest two explanations for the increased phenotypic severity associated with NUP210L loss in human compared to mouse: a genetic variant in human NUP153 (p.Pro485Leu), and inter-species divergence in nuclear pore function in round spermatids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maha Al Dala Ali
- Aix Marseille University, Inserm, MMG, Marseille, France
- College of Medicine, Al-Iraqia University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Guy Longepied
- Aix Marseille University, Inserm, MMG, Marseille, France
| | - Aurore Nicolet
- Aix Marseille University, Inserm, MMG, Marseille, France
| | - Catherine Metzler-Guillemain
- Aix Marseille University, Inserm, MMG, Marseille, France
- AP-HM, Pôle Femmes-Parents-Enfants, Centre Clinico-biologique AMP-CECOS, Marseille Cedex 5, France
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8
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Chen Y, Zhou X, Ji L, Zhao J, Xian H, Xu Y, Wang Z, Ge W. Construction and analysis of a joint diagnostic model of machine learning for cryptorchidism based on single-cell sequencing. Birth Defects Res 2024; 116:e2316. [PMID: 38459615 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cryptorchidism is a condition in which one or both of a baby's testicles do not fully descend into the bottom of the scrotum. Newborns with cryptorchidism are at increased risk of developing infertility later in life. The aim of this study was to develop a novel diagnostic model for cryptorchidism and to identify new biomarkers associated with cryptorchidism. METHODS The study data were obtained from RNA sequencing data of cryptorchid patients from Nantong University Hospital and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differential expression analysis was used to obtain differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the control and cryptorchid groups. These DEGs were analyzed for their functions by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment using GSEA software. Random Forest algorithm was used to screen central genes based on these DEGs. Neuralnet software package was used to develop artificial neural network models. Based on clinical data, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was used to validate the models. Single-cell sequencing analysis was used for the pathogenesis of cryptorchidism. RESULTS We obtained a total of 525 important DEGs related to cryptorchidism, which are mainly associated with biological functions such as supramolecular complexes and microtubule cytoskeleton. Random forest approach screening obtained eight hub genes. A neural network based on the hub genes showed a 100% success rate of the model. Finally, single-cell sequencing analysis validated the hub genes. CONCLUSION We developed a novel diagnostic model for cryptorchidism using artificial neural networks and validated its utility as an effective diagnostic tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuehua Chen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Xiaomeng Zhou
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Linghua Ji
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Jun Zhao
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Hua Xian
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Yunzhao Xu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Ziheng Wang
- Department of Clinical Biobank, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
- Centre for Precision Medicine Research and Training, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Wenliang Ge
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China
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9
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Piechka A, Sparanese S, Witherspoon L, Hach F, Flannigan R. Molecular mechanisms of cellular dysfunction in testes from men with non-obstructive azoospermia. Nat Rev Urol 2024; 21:67-90. [PMID: 38110528 DOI: 10.1038/s41585-023-00837-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Male factor infertility affects 50% of infertile couples worldwide; the most severe form, non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), affects 10-15% of infertile males. Treatment for individuals with NOA is limited to microsurgical sperm extraction paired with in vitro fertilization intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Unfortunately, spermatozoa are only retrieved in ~50% of patients, resulting in live birth rates of 21-46%. Regenerative therapies could provide a solution; however, understanding the cell-type-specific mechanisms of cellular dysfunction is a fundamental necessity to develop precision medicine strategies that could overcome these abnormalities and promote regeneration of spermatogenesis. A number of mechanisms of cellular dysfunction have been elucidated in NOA testicular cells. These mechanisms include abnormalities in both somatic cells and germ cells in NOA testes, such as somatic cell immaturity, aberrant growth factor signalling, increased inflammation, increased apoptosis and abnormal extracellular matrix regulation. Future cell-type-specific investigations in identifying modulators of cellular transcription and translation will be key to understanding upstream dysregulation, and these studies will require development of in vitro models to functionally interrogate spermatogenic niche dysfunction in both somatic and germ cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arina Piechka
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sydney Sparanese
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Luke Witherspoon
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Faraz Hach
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ryan Flannigan
- Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
- Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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10
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Khan MR, Akbari A, Nicholas TJ, Castillo-Madeen H, Ajmal M, Haq TU, Laan M, Quinlan AR, Ahuja JS, Shah AA, Conrad DF. Genome sequencing of Pakistani families with male infertility identifies deleterious genotypes in SPAG6, CCDC9, TKTL1, TUBA3C, and M1AP. Andrology 2023:10.1111/andr.13570. [PMID: 38073178 PMCID: PMC11163020 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are likely to be hundreds of monogenic forms of human male infertility. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is the most efficient way to make progress in mapping the causative genetic variants, and ultimately improve clinical management of the disease in each patient. Recruitment of consanguineous families is an effective approach to ascertain the genetic forms of many diseases. OBJECTIVES To apply WGS to large consanguineous families with likely hereditary male infertility and identify potential genetic cases. MATERIALS AND METHODS We recruited seven large families with clinically diagnosed male infertility from rural Pakistan, including five with a history of consanguinity. We generated WGS data on 26 individuals (3-5 per family) and analyzed the resulting data with a computational pipeline to identify potentially causal single nucleotide variants, indels, and copy number variants. RESULTS We identified plausible genetic causes in five of the seven families, including a homozygous 10 kb deletion of exon 2 in a well-established male infertility gene (M1AP), and biallelic missense substitutions (SPAG6, CCDC9, TUBA3C) and an in-frame hemizygous deletion (TKTL1) in genes with emerging relevance. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION The rate of genetic findings using the current approach (71%) was much higher than what we recently achieved using whole-exome sequencing (WES) of unrelated singleton cases (20%). Furthermore, we identified a pathogenic single-exon deletion in M1AP that would be undetectable by WES. Screening more families with WGS, especially in underrepresented populations, will further reveal the types of variants underlying male infertility and accelerate the use of genetics in the patient management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Riaz Khan
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Malakand, Chakdara, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Arvand Akbari
- Center for Embryonic Cell & Gene Therapy, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Thomas J Nicholas
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Helen Castillo-Madeen
- Center for Embryonic Cell & Gene Therapy, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Muhammad Ajmal
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Malakand, Chakdara, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Taqweem Ul Haq
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Malakand, Chakdara, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Maris Laan
- Chair of Human Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Aaron R Quinlan
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Jasvinder S Ahuja
- Center for Embryonic Cell & Gene Therapy, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Aftab Ali Shah
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Malakand, Chakdara, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Donald F Conrad
- Center for Embryonic Cell & Gene Therapy, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, Oregon, USA
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
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11
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Wei H, Zhang X, Wang C, Wang J, Li T, Chen S, Li H, Wang B. A pathogenic AKAP4 variant, p.R429H, causes male in/subfertility in humans and mice. Clin Transl Med 2023; 13:e1463. [PMID: 38050179 PMCID: PMC10696161 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Han Wei
- Center for GeneticsNational Research Institute for Family PlanningBeijingChina
- Graduate SchoolChinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
- Center for Reproductive and Genetic MedicineDalian Municipal Women and Children's Medical CenterDalianChina
| | - Xiaohui Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation BiologyMinistry of EducationDepartment of BiologyCollege of Life SciencesBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Chunyan Wang
- Center for GeneticsNational Research Institute for Family PlanningBeijingChina
- Graduate SchoolChinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental BiologySchool of Basic Medical SciencesCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Tengyan Li
- Center for GeneticsNational Research Institute for Family PlanningBeijingChina
| | - Suren Chen
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation BiologyMinistry of EducationDepartment of BiologyCollege of Life SciencesBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Hongjun Li
- Graduate SchoolChinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
- Department of UrologyPeking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingChina
| | - Binbin Wang
- Center for GeneticsNational Research Institute for Family PlanningBeijingChina
- Graduate SchoolChinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
- NHC Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health Engineering Technology Research (NRIFP)BeijingChina
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12
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Houston BJ, Nguyen J, Merriner DJ, O'Connor AE, Lopes AM, Nagirnaja L, Friedrich C, Kliesch S, Tüttelmann F, Aston KI, Conrad DF, Hobbs RM, Dunleavy JE, O'Bryan MK. AXDND1 is required to balance spermatogonial commitment and for sperm tail formation in mice and humans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.02.565050. [PMID: 38014244 PMCID: PMC10680566 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.02.565050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Dynein complexes are large, multi-unit assemblies involved in many biological processes including male fertility via their critical roles in protein transport and axoneme motility. Previously we identified a pathogenic variant in the dynein gene AXDND1 in an infertile man. Subsequently we identified an additional four potentially compound heterozygous variants of unknown significance in AXDND1 in two additional infertile men. We thus tested the role of AXDND1 in mammalian male fertility by generating a knockout mouse model. Axdnd1 -/- males were sterile at all ages but could undergo one round of histologically complete spermatogenesis. Subsequently, a progressive imbalance of spermatogonial commitment to spermatogenesis over self-renewal occurred, ultimately leading to catastrophic germ cell loss, loss of blood-testis barrier patency and immune cell infiltration. Sperm produced during the first wave of spermatogenesis were immotile due to abnormal axoneme structure, including the presence of ectopic vesicles and abnormalities in outer dense fibres and microtubule doublet structures. Sperm output was additionally compromised by a severe spermiation defect and abnormal sperm individualisation. Collectively, our data highlight the essential roles of AXDND1 as a regulator of spermatogonial commitment to spermatogenesis and during the processes of spermiogenesis where it is essential for sperm tail development, release and motility.
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13
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Olotu O, Ahmedani A, Kotaja N. Small Non-Coding RNAs in Male Reproduction. Semin Reprod Med 2023; 41:213-225. [PMID: 38346711 DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1779726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Male reproductive functions are strictly regulated in order to maintain sperm production and fertility. All processes are controlled by precise regulation of gene expression, which creates specific gene expression programs for different developmental stages and cell types, and forms the functional basis for the reproductive system. Small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) are involved in gene regulation by targeting mRNAs for translational repression and degradation through complementary base pairing to recognize their targets. This review article summarizes the current knowledge on the function of different classes of sncRNAs, in particular microRNAs (miRNAs) and PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), during male germ cell differentiation, with the focus on sncRNAs expressed in the germline. Although transcriptionally inactive, mature spermatozoa contain a complex population of sncRNAs, and we also discuss the recently identified role of sperm sncRNAs in the intergenerational transmission of epigenetic information on father's environmental and lifestyle exposures to offspring. Finally, we summarize the current information on the utility of sncRNAs as potential biomarkers of infertility that may aid in the diagnosis and prediction of outcomes of medically assisted reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Opeyemi Olotu
- Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology Unit, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Ammar Ahmedani
- Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology Unit, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Noora Kotaja
- Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology Unit, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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14
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Ansari M, Faour KNW, Shimamura A, Grimes G, Kao EM, Denhoff ER, Blatnik A, Ben-Isvy D, Wang L, Helm BM, Firth H, Breman AM, Bijlsma EK, Iwata-Otsubo A, de Ravel TJL, Fusaro V, Fryer A, Nykamp K, Stühn LG, Haack TB, Korenke GC, Constantinou P, Bujakowska KM, Low KJ, Place E, Humberson J, Napier MP, Hoffman J, Juusola J, Deardorff MA, Shao W, Rockowitz S, Krantz I, Kaur M, Raible S, Kliesch S, Singer-Berk M, Groopman E, DiTroia S, Ballal S, Srivastava S, Rothfelder K, Biskup S, Rzasa J, Kerkhof J, McConkey H, O'Donnell-Luria A, Sadikovic B, Hilton S, Banka S, Tüttelmann F, Conrad D, Talkowski ME, FitzPatrick DR, Boone PM. Heterozygous loss-of-function SMC3 variants are associated with variable and incompletely penetrant growth and developmental features. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.09.27.23294269. [PMID: 37808847 PMCID: PMC10557843 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.27.23294269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Heterozygous missense variants and in-frame indels in SMC3 are a cause of Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS), marked by intellectual disability, growth deficiency, and dysmorphism, via an apparent dominant-negative mechanism. However, the spectrum of manifestations associated with SMC3 loss-of-function variants has not been reported, leading to hypotheses of alternative phenotypes or even developmental lethality. We used matchmaking servers, patient registries, and other resources to identify individuals with heterozygous, predicted loss-of-function (pLoF) variants in SMC3, and analyzed population databases to characterize mutational intolerance in this gene. Here, we show that SMC3 behaves as an archetypal haploinsufficient gene: it is highly constrained against pLoF variants, strongly depleted for missense variants, and pLoF variants are associated with a range of developmental phenotypes. Among 13 individuals with SMC3 pLoF variants, phenotypes were variable but coalesced on low growth parameters, developmental delay/intellectual disability, and dysmorphism reminiscent of atypical CdLS. Comparisons to individuals with SMC3 missense/in-frame indel variants demonstrated a milder presentation in pLoF carriers. Furthermore, several individuals harboring pLoF variants in SMC3 were nonpenetrant for growth, developmental, and/or dysmorphic features, some instead having intriguing symptomatologies with rational biological links to SMC3 including bone marrow failure, acute myeloid leukemia, and Coats retinal vasculopathy. Analyses of transcriptomic and epigenetic data suggest that SMC3 pLoF variants reduce SMC3 expression but do not result in a blood DNA methylation signature clustering with that of CdLS, and that the global transcriptional signature of SMC3 loss is model-dependent. Our finding of substantial population-scale LoF intolerance in concert with variable penetrance in subjects with SMC3 pLoF variants expands the scope of cohesinopathies, informs on their allelic architecture, and suggests the existence of additional clearly LoF-constrained genes whose disease links will be confirmed only by multi-layered genomic data paired with careful phenotyping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morad Ansari
- South East Scotland Genetic Service, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Kamli N W Faour
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, US
- Cornelia de Lange Syndrome and Related Disorders Clinic, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, US
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Akiko Shimamura
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, US
| | - Graeme Grimes
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Emeline M Kao
- Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, US
| | - Erica R Denhoff
- Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, US
| | - Ana Blatnik
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Department of Clinical Cancer Genetics, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, SI
| | - Daniel Ben-Isvy
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, US
- Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, US
- Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, US
| | - Lily Wang
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, US
- Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, US
- Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, US
| | - Benjamin M Helm
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, US
| | - Helen Firth
- Clinical Genetics, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, UK
| | - Amy M Breman
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, US
| | - Emilia K Bijlsma
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, NL
| | - Aiko Iwata-Otsubo
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, US
| | - Thomy J L de Ravel
- Centre for Human Genetics, UZ Leuven/ Leuven University Hospitals, Leuven, BE
| | | | - Alan Fryer
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Alder Hey Children's Hospital Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Lara G Stühn
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, DE
| | - Tobias B Haack
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, DE
| | - G Christoph Korenke
- University Children's Hospital Oldenburg, Department of Neuropaediatric and Metabolic Diseases, University Children's Hospital Oldenburg, Oldenburg, DE
| | - Panayiotis Constantinou
- West of Scotland Centre for Genomic Medicine, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Karen J Low
- University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK
- University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Emily Place
- Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA, US
| | | | | | | | | | - Matthew A Deardorff
- Departments of Pathology and Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Los Angeles and University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, US
| | - Wanqing Shao
- Research Computing, Information Technology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, US
| | - Shira Rockowitz
- Research Computing, Information Technology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, US
- The Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, US
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, US
| | - Ian Krantz
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, US
| | - Maninder Kaur
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, US
| | - Sarah Raible
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, US
| | - Sabine Kliesch
- Department of Clinical and Surgical Andrology, Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, DE
| | - Moriel Singer-Berk
- Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, US
| | - Emily Groopman
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, US
- Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, US
| | - Stephanie DiTroia
- Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, US
| | - Sonia Ballal
- Cornelia de Lange Syndrome and Related Disorders Clinic, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, US
- Division of Gastroenterology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, US
| | - Siddharth Srivastava
- Cornelia de Lange Syndrome and Related Disorders Clinic, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, US
- Divison of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, US
| | | | - Saskia Biskup
- Zentrum für Humangenetik, Tübingen, DE
- Center for Genomics and Transcriptomics (CeGaT), Tübingen, DE
| | - Jessica Rzasa
- Molecular Diagnostics Program and Verspeeten Clinical Genome Centre, LHSC, London, CA
| | - Jennifer Kerkhof
- Molecular Diagnostics Program and Verspeeten Clinical Genome Centre, LHSC, London, CA
| | - Haley McConkey
- Molecular Diagnostics Program and Verspeeten Clinical Genome Centre, LHSC, London, CA
| | - Anne O'Donnell-Luria
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, US
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, US
- Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, US
| | - Bekim Sadikovic
- Molecular Diagnostics Program and Verspeeten Clinical Genome Centre, LHSC, London, CA
| | | | | | - Frank Tüttelmann
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of Münster, Münster, DE
| | - Donald Conrad
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, US
- Center for Embryonic Cell and Gene Therapy, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, US
| | - Michael E Talkowski
- Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, US
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, US
| | - David R FitzPatrick
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Philip M Boone
- Cornelia de Lange Syndrome and Related Disorders Clinic, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, US
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, US
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, US
- Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, US
- These authors contributed equally
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15
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Jia H, Wang W, Zhou Z, Chen Z, Lan Z, Bo H, Fan L. Single-cell RNA sequencing technology in human spermatogenesis: Progresses and perspectives. Mol Cell Biochem 2023:10.1007/s11010-023-04840-x. [PMID: 37659974 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-023-04840-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
Spermatogenesis, a key part of the spermiation process, is regulated by a combination of key cells, such as primordial germ cells, spermatogonial stem cells, and somatic cells, such as Sertoli cells. Abnormal spermatogenesis can lead to azoospermia, testicular tumors, and other diseases related to male infertility. The application of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology in male reproduction is gradually increasing with its unique insight into deep mining and analysis. The data cover different periods of neonatal, prepubertal, pubertal, and adult stages. Different types of male infertility diseases including obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), Klinefelter Syndrome (KS), Sertoli Cell Only Syndrome (SCOS), and testicular tumors are also covered. We briefly review the principles and application of scRNA-seq and summarize the research results and application directions in spermatogenesis in different periods and pathological states. Moreover, we discuss the challenges of applying this technology in male reproduction and the prospects of combining it with other technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanbo Jia
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Wei Wang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhaowen Zhou
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhiyi Chen
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zijun Lan
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Hao Bo
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Liqing Fan
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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16
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Quarantani G, Sorgente A, Alfano M, Pipitone GB, Boeri L, Pozzi E, Belladelli F, Pederzoli F, Ferrara AM, Montorsi F, Moles A, Carrera P, Salonia A, Casari G. Whole exome data prioritization unveils the hidden weight of Mendelian causes of male infertility. A report from the first Italian cohort. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0288336. [PMID: 37540677 PMCID: PMC10403130 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Almost 40% of infertile men cases are classified as idiopathic when tested negative to the current diagnostic routine based on the screening of karyotype, Y chromosome microdeletions and CFTR mutations in men with azoospermia or oligozoospermia. Rare monogenic forms of infertility are not routinely evaluated. In this study we aim to investigate the unknown potential genetic causes in couples with pure male idiopathic infertility by applying variant prioritization to whole exome sequencing (WES) in a cohort of 99 idiopathic Italian patients. The ad-hoc manually curated gene library prioritizes genes already known to be associated with more common and rare syndromic and non-syndromic male infertility forms. Twelve monogenic cases (12.1%) were identified in the whole cohort of patients. Of these, three patients had variants related to mild androgen insensitivity syndrome, two in genes related to hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and six in genes related to spermatogenic failure, while one patient is mutant in PKD1. These results suggest that NGS combined with our manually curated pipeline for variant prioritization and classification can uncover a considerable number of Mendelian causes of infertility even in a small cohort of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gioia Quarantani
- Genome-Phenome Relationship Unit, Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Sorgente
- Genome-Phenome Relationship Unit, Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Alfano
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, URI, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Battista Pipitone
- Genomics for Human Disease Diagnosis Unit and Lab of Clinical Genomics, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Boeri
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, URI, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
- Department of Urology, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Edoardo Pozzi
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, URI, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Federico Belladelli
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, URI, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Filippo Pederzoli
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, URI, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Ferrara
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, URI, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Montorsi
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, URI, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Moles
- CNR Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Carrera
- Genomics for Human Disease Diagnosis Unit and Lab of Clinical Genomics, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Salonia
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, URI, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Casari
- Genome-Phenome Relationship Unit, Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
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17
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Ding X, Singh P, Schimenti K, Tran TN, Fragoza R, Hardy J, Orwig KE, Olszewska M, Kurpisz MK, Yatsenko AN, Conrad DF, Yu H, Schimenti JC. In vivo versus in silico assessment of potentially pathogenic missense variants in human reproductive genes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2219925120. [PMID: 37459509 PMCID: PMC10372637 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2219925120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Infertility is a heterogeneous condition, with genetic causes thought to underlie a substantial fraction of cases. Genome sequencing is becoming increasingly important for genetic diagnosis of diseases including idiopathic infertility; however, most rare or minor alleles identified in patients are variants of uncertain significance (VUS). Interpreting the functional impacts of VUS is challenging but profoundly important for clinical management and genetic counseling. To determine the consequences of these variants in key fertility genes, we functionally evaluated 11 missense variants in the genes ANKRD31, BRDT, DMC1, EXO1, FKBP6, MCM9, M1AP, MEI1, MSH4 and SEPT12 by generating genome-edited mouse models. Nine variants were classified as deleterious by most functional prediction algorithms, and two disrupted a protein-protein interaction (PPI) in the yeast two hybrid (Y2H) assay. Though these genes are essential for normal meiosis or spermiogenesis in mice, only one variant, observed in the MCM9 gene of a male infertility patient, compromised fertility or gametogenesis in the mouse models. To explore the disconnect between predictions and outcomes, we compared pathogenicity calls of missense variants made by ten widely used algorithms to 1) those annotated in ClinVar and 2) those evaluated in mice. All the algorithms performed poorly in terms of predicting the effects of human missense variants modeled in mice. These studies emphasize caution in the genetic diagnoses of infertile patients based primarily on pathogenicity prediction algorithms and emphasize the need for alternative and efficient in vitro or in vivo functional validation models for more effective and accurate VUS description to either pathogenic or benign categories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinbao Ding
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
| | - Priti Singh
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
| | - Kerry Schimenti
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
| | - Tina N. Tran
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
| | - Robert Fragoza
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
| | - Jimmaline Hardy
- School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Magee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15213
| | - Kyle E. Orwig
- School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Magee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15213
| | - Marta Olszewska
- Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan60-479, Poland
| | - Maciej K. Kurpisz
- Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan60-479, Poland
| | - Alexander N. Yatsenko
- School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Magee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15213
| | - Donald F. Conrad
- Oregon Health & Science University, Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR97006
| | - Haiyuan Yu
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
| | - John C. Schimenti
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
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18
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Liu J, Rahim F, Zhou J, Fan S, Jiang H, Yu C, Chen J, Xu J, Yang G, Shah W, Zubair M, Khan A, Li Y, Shah B, Zhao D, Iqbal F, Jiang X, Guo T, Xu P, Xu B, Wu L, Ma H, Zhang Y, Zhang H, Shi Q. Loss-of-function variants in KCTD19 cause non-obstructive azoospermia in humans. iScience 2023; 26:107193. [PMID: 37485353 PMCID: PMC10362269 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Azoospermia is a significant cause of male infertility, with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) being the most severe type of spermatogenic failure. NOA is mostly caused by congenital factors, but our understanding of its genetic causes is very limited. Here, we identified a frameshift variant (c.201_202insAC, p.Tyr68Thrfs∗17) and two nonsense variants (c.1897C>T, p.Gln633∗; c.2005C>T, p.Gln669∗) in KCTD19 (potassium channel tetramerization domain containing 19) from two unrelated infertile Chinese men and a consanguineous Pakistani family with three infertile brothers. Testicular histological analyses revealed meiotic metaphase I (MMI) arrest in the affected individuals. Mice modeling KCTD19 variants recapitulated the same MMI arrest phenotype due to severe disrupted individualization of MMI chromosomes. Further analysis showed a complete loss of KCTD19 protein in both Kctd19 mutant mouse testes and affected individual testes. Collectively, our findings demonstrate the pathogenicity of the identified KCTD19 variants and highlight an essential role of KCTD19 in MMI chromosome individualization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyan Liu
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Fazal Rahim
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Jianteng Zhou
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Suixing Fan
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Hanwei Jiang
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Changping Yu
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Jianze Xu
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Gang Yang
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Wasim Shah
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Muhammad Zubair
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Asad Khan
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Yang Li
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Basit Shah
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Daren Zhao
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Furhan Iqbal
- Institute of Pure and Applied Biology, Zoology Division, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan
| | - Xiaohua Jiang
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Tonghang Guo
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Peng Xu
- Hainan Jinghua Hejing Hospital for Reproductive Medicine, Hainan 570125, China
| | - Bo Xu
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Limin Wu
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Hui Ma
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Yuanwei Zhang
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Huan Zhang
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Qinghua Shi
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
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19
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Dicke AK, Pilatz A, Wyrwoll MJ, Punab M, Ruckert C, Nagirnaja L, Aston KI, Conrad DF, Di Persio S, Neuhaus N, Fietz D, Laan M, Stallmeyer B, Tüttelmann F. DDX3Y is likely the key spermatogenic factor in the AZFa region that contributes to human non-obstructive azoospermia. Commun Biol 2023; 6:350. [PMID: 36997603 PMCID: PMC10063662 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04714-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-obstructive azoospermia, the absence of sperm in the ejaculate due to disturbed spermatogenesis, represents the most severe form of male infertility. De novo microdeletions of the Y-chromosomal AZFa region are one of few well-established genetic causes for NOA and are routinely analysed in the diagnostic workup of affected men. So far, it is unclear which of the three genes located in the AZFa chromosomal region is indispensible for germ cell maturation. Here we present four different likely pathogenic loss-of-function variants in the AZFa gene DDX3Y identified by analysing exome sequencing data of more than 1,600 infertile men. Three of the patients underwent testicular sperm extraction and revealed the typical AZFa testicular Sertoli cell-only phenotype. One of the variants was proven to be de novo. Consequently, DDX3Y represents the AZFa key spermatogenic factor and screening for variants in DDX3Y should be included in the diagnostic workflow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Kristin Dicke
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Adrian Pilatz
- Clinic for Urology, Paediatric Urology and Andrology, Justus Liebig University Gießen, 35390, Gießen, Germany
| | - Margot J Wyrwoll
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Margus Punab
- Andrology Centre, Tartu University Hospital, 50406, Tartu, Estonia
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, 50406, Tartu, Estonia
- Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 50411, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Christian Ruckert
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Liina Nagirnaja
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - Kenneth I Aston
- Andrology and IVF Laboratory, Department of Surgery (Urology), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Donald F Conrad
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - Sara Di Persio
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Nina Neuhaus
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Daniela Fietz
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Justus Liebig University Gießen, 35392, Gießen, Germany
| | - Maris Laan
- Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 50411, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Birgit Stallmeyer
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Frank Tüttelmann
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany.
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